May, 2012 Archive

How Big is Maggie?

Not seen this in the UK, but in the US babies are encouraged to throw their arms up to the question “How big is [insert name here]?” and show how big they are!

We didn’t know that Maggie’s Auntie Colleen was teaching her this new trick, so imagine our surprise when she suddenly started doing it.

Love our Magpie. She’s eating freshly BBQ’s salmon by the way as we figure that’s one step towards that college scholarship!

Microsoft Surface Table 2.0 = Gorgeous

I’ll be salivating all over this when it arrives in Cannes. I remember when the first version came out I wanted one!

This post with my first impressions of Cannes in 2009 shows a picture of what V1 looked like.

V2, as you’d expect, is now slimmer and super-souped up.

microsoft-surface-2

Read all about it here!

SMX Advanced in Seattle – Meet One of the Brains Behind Bing!

If you enjoyed the Beyond 10 Blue Links Video I shared this week, you’ll enjoy coverage from SMX Advanced in Seattle in a couple of weeks because Derrick Connell, one of the many ace minds behind Bing, will be keynoting at Danny Sullivan’s conference.

This is my first SMX Advanced – I’ve been to their events in London, Stockholm and elsewhere, but I’m looking forward to forcing my grey matter to work harder as I attend sessions such as “Hardcore Social Tactics” and “Doing Mobile Search Ads Right.”

Also thrilled to be catching up with Danny Sullivan who’s showcased in Pioneers of Digital, right around the time the book goes to press!

I’m told by the fabulous Akvile Harlow that the conference is sold out but that there are still tix left for workshops and networking, so follow @MSAdvertising and see you in a couple of weeks!

The Future of TV via Ross Honey from Xbox

This post was cross-posted from the Pioneers of Digital Blog: The Future of TV

While is was in New York a couple of weeks ago for the Digital Content NewFronts, I finally got to meet Ross Honey who heads up advertising and entertainment on Xbox.

Not only is he a great bloke (and an excellent presenter – he’ll be in Cannes with us for the advertising festival), he also has some important things to say about the future of TV – essentially that the future is here and his team has helped create it!

Through more choice, easier discoverability via Kinect voice control, and by creating new and engaging experiences through social and more interactive technology, Ross claims that Xbox has fundamentally changed the way we “watch” TV and that it’s all available NOW!

image

A curious by-product of moving to the US is being introduced to the ubiquitous estate sale. Every weekend, while driving through any suburb of Seattle, you’re likely to see signs pointing to houses where the occupants have ”shuffled off this mortal coil”, and all their worldly possessions are up for grabs. I passed through one at the weekend and spotted a TV not unlike the one above. It got me thinking about how times have changed so rapidly in the entertainment space and how the pace of innovation seems to have accelerated over the past couple of years.

Hearing the bold claim by Ross got me thinking how lucky I am to be playing small part in the future of all this change. When I was given a ZX Spectrum in 1980, I couldn’t dream that in 30 years time I’d be working with people who were creating technology that not only entertains so beautifully, but that can really change the world.

OK! Waxing lyrical over! Back to work…..

Cheers,

Mel

Let's Talk

If this site has piqued your interest in hiring Mel, either as a speaker for your event or as a consultant for your business, contact him now to start a conversation about how he can help...

Get in touch with Mel